BMC to appoint new agency to fine ‘mask-less’ offenders in public

Mumbai: City’s clean-up marshals who were assigned the dedicated task of penalising people for not wearing face masks in public during the pandemic will now move to their routine work of fining citizens who litter in public, spit, defecate in the open, and pet owners whose pets litter on the streets too

Mumbai: City’s clean-up marshals who were assigned the dedicated task of penalising people for not wearing face masks in public during the pandemic will now move to their routine work of fining citizens who litter in public, spit, defecate in the open, and pet owners whose pets litter on the streets too.

Wearing masks in public has been made mandatory by BMC after the spread of covid-19, since March 2020. (HT)

Wearing of masks remains compulsory in public places and the civic body has not announced otherwise.

Meanwhile, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will appoint a new agency for penalising citizens who do not wear masks in public, and tenders have been floated for this. Suresh Kakani, additional municipal commissioner in charge of BMC’s public health department said, “If there is a time gap between the new agency starting its work, then civic staff of each ward is empowered to take action and fine those not wearing masks in public, along with the Mumbai police.”

Wearing masks in public has been made mandatory by BMC after the spread of covid-19, since March 2020, and a fine of ₹200 is imposed on those without masks in public places. Masks can only be removed in restaurants, eateries, and bars, at the time of eating. During the Covid waves, there were controversies over the recovery of fines by Clean Up marshals in some parts of the city.